It’s Super Bowl week, with the Seattle Seahawks flying excessive into the large sport towards the New England Patriots on Sunday, so we thought it might be enjoyable to herald the “OGs” of Spokane sports activities, the legendary crew from “Friday Night Sports Extra,” to speak concerning the matchup.
In the newest version of the Press Box Podcast, Dennis Patchin, Bud Nameck and Rick Lukens mentioned all the pieces concerning the sport, from keys to profitable, to roster development and reminiscences of earlier Super Bowls. The crew even offered last rating predictions, and with out ruining the suspense all of them predicted a Seahawks victory.
Here are just a few excerpts, edited for house concerns. The whole audio podcast may be discovered at www.spokesman.com/podcasts/press-box/ and the videocast at www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaZofZS_CFY.
The architect
Patchin: If anyone is upset about this staff and also you’re a Seahawks fan, I don’t know what you’re upset about. I imply, as a result of not solely have they been profitable video games, they’ve been entertaining in profitable video games. I imply, you will get groups which might be profitable video games that aren’t very entertaining. This has been, should you sit down, I don’t suppose anyone says, “Man, that was a waste of three hours today.”
Nichols: Talking about being entertaining. I imply, it’s on all three ranges, proper? Offense, protection, and particular groups. You by no means know when anyone touches the ball that they may go all the way in which.
Nameck: I believe that’s one of many issues that for me was really a turning level of their season was getting Rashid Shaheed, with what he’s been capable of do. I imply, his three returns and simply the specter of him there, it’s wonderful how he can flip a sport so rapidly. And I believe, you understand, particularly the 2 wins over the Rams, that they had a determined benefit in particular groups over the Rams. And I believe that performed out and that was an enormous a part of it.
Patchin: Well, and that’s a part of John Schneider and what he’s been capable of do. When Pete (Carroll) was there, John bought no credit score for something as a result of all people was below the belief that, nicely, he’s simply doing what Pete advised him to do. Pete Carroll leaves, John Schneider will get to be within the massive boy seat. He could have been earlier than, however now he’s so far as all people is aware of and all the pieces he does – you understand, he makes the appropriate deal. I’m positive he was concerned within the teaching rent of Mike Macdonald. That was the appropriate deal. I’m positive he was concerned in Sam Darnold being added to the staff. That was the appropriate deal. I imply, he made a deadline commerce that, you understand, set the tone in that playoff sport with the opening kickoff.
Nameck: Well, and he did it final yr, too, with the commerce for (Ernest) Jones. That morphed, that basically introduced this protection a step ahead.
Patchin: So, and when you may make these performs earlier within the video games, it relaxes all people. If you speak to guys who play in massive video games, and that’s going to be an issue once more developing Sunday, who can get relaxed sooner might be going to win this sport. Well, whenever you get a gap kickoff return for a landing, that relaxes all people.
Lukens: The different rent I believe that was actually essential and it definitely performs actually massive as we sit right here now could be (offensive coordinator) Klint Kubiak. I don’t know if John Schneider had an affect on that or if Mike Macdonald mentioned, “No, this is our guy.” But to get a man who Sam Darnold was very comfy with, and to return in and take a man who had been maligned. I imply, who had up till his final couple of video games a yr prior, had had an MVP-caliber season after which simply went within the tank. And for Kubiak to return in and get him headed the appropriate course? And then like I mentioned, that hinge level was that four-interception sport towards the Rams. Sam Darnold has been practically flawless since.
Playing favorites
Nichols: Did you ever suppose in your lifetime of fandom that we might be speaking concerning the Seahawks because the dominant favourite going right into a Super Bowl like this? I grew up on the East Coast, and it’s not as a lot fandom, however it’s doom and gloom, proper? You go into it in search of the worst kind of scenario, and it appeared like there’s slightly little bit of that inside the Seahawks fan base.
Patchin: There nonetheless is that within the Seahawks fan base and it has had that for some time. It’s not “How are we going to win this game?” It’s “How are we going to lose this game?”
Nameck: Well, I believe as a result of they’ve had 11 years to stew over the past play the Seahawks had within the Super Bowl.
Lukens: And even the Super Bowl the place the Seahawks did dominate, you understand, I believed they have been the higher staff. I believed the Legion of Boom is what’s going to win that sport. And definitely towards Peyton Manning, I didn’t suppose it was going to be the shellacking that it was. I’ll say this – I used to be driving round fascinated with this the final couple days and it could shock Dennis and Bud, however previous to the 49ers playoff sport after which the Rams sport the week after I used to be nervous through the week. I sat down with angst operating, coursing by my physique as I watched each of these video games and it didn’t let up till the tip. I’m not feeling that proper now. I really feel like that win over the Rams, no matter occurs from now, I’m good, guys. We beat the freaking Rams. I’m good.
Patchin: That win over the 49ers, and I do know the 49ers have been beat up within the playoff sport. But that win was nearly as good a win as we’ve seen within the postseason from anyone shortly. I imply, the protection is unbelievable and the offense bought sufficient factors the place I watched that sport and I mentioned at this cut-off date to myself, “I don’t know how they’re going to lose the Super Bowl,” at this cut-off date after that win.